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Sly Marbo
Sly Marbo sets off an ambush of a T'au armoured detachment]] Sly Marbo, sometimes called the "One Man Army", is one of the most decorated members of the Astra Militarum in Imperial history, in this case a revered member of the Catachan Jungle Fighters. He is known to possess unparalleled military skills, including an ability to handle a Sniper Rifle like a Vindicare Assassin and survival and ambush skills that rival those of any member of the Adeptus Astartes. It is not known whether or not the name "Sly" is an earned name as per Catachan tradition, or his actual given one. History Guardsman Marbo is a natural born survivor and a veritable one-man army. He's the ultimate soldier and possesses skills that surpass any of the Imperium's highly-trained operatives. Despite his unparalleled abilities his commanders inwardly feel there is "something deeply wrong with the boy." Mysterious and aloof, little is known of Marbo's origins and most of what's told remains rumour and speculation. It is said that he was one of ten brothers who were inducted into the Catachan XII Regiment, and that during fighting against WAAAGH! Urgok on Ryza all were killed However, tales abound of a lone Guardsman returning two solar weeks later with the head of the Ork Warlord, a single bullet hole clearly visible between the Greenskin's eyes. The myth of Guardsman Marbo has become legendary amongst the Catachan Jungle Fighter regiments, although their tradition of exaggeration is equally well-known. On Pardus it is said that Marbo destroyed an enemy armoured convoy by booby-trapping an entire ravine and on Sask's World he captured Command Post Four-Twelve single-handed, slaying the alien leader and all of its tentacled bodyguards. If half the stories about Marbo's exploits were true then he would have a collection of medals that would rival that of an Imperial Warmaster, though he is known to have been awarded the Star of Terra, the highest Imperial award for valour, multiple times for his legendary exploits. Whatever the truth, it is without doubt that Marbo is a man who has been through hell and back too many times to remain completely sane. The blood and death he has witnessed have warped Marbo to the point where he can only function with a blade in his hand. His eyes are empty when he isn't stalking the foe and his actions lacklustre unless he is carving his name into an enemy's chest. ]] Guardsman Marbo is a loner who sticks to the darkness at all times, even when he is receiving his orders at friendly outposts. Few have seen his face and none have heard him speak. He is utterly silent and acknowledges orders with but a slight nod before vanishing once more to find the enemy. Marbo is a patient hunter. He waits in ambush until his quarry is in his sights before killing it with contemptuous ease. He is a master at blending into his surroundings and covering any trace of his whereabouts so that the enemy has no idea from where the attack is coming from. Having slit the throats of his foes he melts back into the shadows and stealthily repositions to another vantage point. In this way he throws the enemy army into utter disarray as they frantically try to locate the killer in their midst. In battle it is said that fighting Marbo is like fighting a shadow. Enemy commanders have sworn that such attacks cannot be the result of a single man and that an entire army must have ambushed them. His skills are such that it is said during the Octavius War Marbo hunted the chameleonic Tyranid Lictors. If this is true Marbo gives no sign. He simply stares vacantly into space until given his next assignment by his superiors. Marbo's fellow Jungle Fighters are well aware of his superlative skills at stealth and ambush, and know that if Sly Marbo does not want to be seen or heard, he will not be -- sometimes not even by those of who know he's around. Many Catachan Jungle Fighters hold Sly Marbo in very high regard as an exemplar of what it means to be Catachan. At times, Marbo will track a group of Jungle Fighters and help them out at critical junctures. Having the legendary Sly Marbo watching their backs is considered an honour by those he chooses to follow. Wargear and the Envenomed Blade]] *'Ripper Pistol' - This modified Autopistol fires specially designed armour-piercing metal shards containing a vicious cocktail of venomous chemicals with deadly accuracy. The initial wounds caused by the shards allow the venom to enter the victim's bloodstream and cause death, and thus the weapon can bring down the largest opponents in a single shot. It is designed so that if the vicious impact of the bullet does not kill the target, the poisons flooding into its bloodstream will. Often, a Ripper Pistol can prove to be the final word in terminal close encounters. A Ripper Pistol is favoured by those who venture onto hostile Jungle Worlds and Death Worlds like Catachan where the massive and universally hostile flora and fauna present constant dangers. *''Envenomed Blade'' - The Envenomed Blade is a unique Catachan Knife carried by Sly Marbo that is coated with toxins so deadly that they can make even the smallest flesh wound fatal. Trivia The character of Sly Marbo was based on the fictional character of John Rambo in the 1982 action film First Blood and the subsequent films in the Rambo franchise. "Marbo" is, in fact, an anagram for "Rambo" and "Sly" was the nickname for the 1980s action movie star Sylvester Stallone, who played John Rambo in the films. Sources *''Codex: Catachans'' (3rd Edition), pg. 22 *''Codex: Imperial Guard'' (5th Edition), pg. 61 *''Rogue Trader: Into the Storm'' (RPG), pp. 111-112 *''Death World'' (Novel) by Steve Lyons, Chs. 4, 7 *''Straken'' (Novel) by Toby Frost, Ch. 12 Category:S Category:M Category:Characters Category:Imperial Characters Category:Imperial Guard Category:Imperium